[PennBF]

You have options. If you don't like the rules. MOVE..You came here knowing the rules. No one is holding you here and you have the option of leaving. If you want pink birds in plastic on your lawn or want to advertise you are a Christian by lawn oraments (I am a christian but that is between me and my god), and if you don't believe God did a good job by giving us beautiful flowers and green grass and great green growth then for god's sake move to somewhere where you can mess up God's work and admire awful commercially made things. Even to the extent of fake flowers which is a low point in ruining the wonderful community we live in. Again, please leave us to our beautiful Villages and Deed Restrictions meant to keep it that way and enjoy the outside "plastic" world.

[MrsPhil]

The biggest problem with the reporting of so-called violations is that more often than not it is by people who "troll"; that is, they don't live in the neighborhood but find their jollies looking for offenses. You seem to think every "offense" is leading toward trailer trash when, in fact, the offense sometimes is a beautiful lawn ornament that enhances a yard. Sometimes it is a necessity for a disabled person who wasn't aware that adding a few bricks to the side of his driveway for safety's sake was a big deal. Sometimes a homeowner is in distress and it would be so much kinder for those trollers to stop and see if assistance in yard work is needed. And sometimes it is a vindictive person who makes things up! (Yes, this happened to a friend of mine.) From the many "violations" I have read about, they are petty things which could easily be taken care of by neighbors talking to each other. If it isn't your neighborhood, it isn't your business; if it is your neighborhood, then how about taking The Villages mantra into account: "Florida's Friendliest Hometown". Make it so.

[Martian]

Originally Posted by PennBF

You have options. If you don't like the rules. MOVE..You came here knowing the rules. No one is holding you here and you have the option of leaving. If you want pink birds in plastic on your lawn or want to advertise you are a Christian by lawn oraments (I am a christian but that is between me and my god), and if you don't believe God did a good job by giving us beautiful flowers and green grass and great green growth then for god's sake move to somewhere where you can mess up God's work and admire awful commercially made things. Even to the extent of fake flowers which is a low point in ruining the wonderful community we live in. Again, please leave us to our beautiful Villages and Deed Restrictions meant to keep it that way and enjoy the outside "plastic" world.

So, if I understand you post correctly, you don't really care if or how the rules are enforced. Most of your post is about what you think is objectionable and you should not have to enjoy seeing it.

I draw that conclusion because most of your post is about what you don't like, not about the deed restrictions and/or their enforcement.

[skip0358]

I agree with a lot of the Posts however, If I get turned in and they come out and inspect and tell me mine is not in compliance but there are other houses on the same block with the same violation and you hear well we didn't get a complaint on theirs only yours that's just not right. In all honesty there are MANY homes in TV that are not in compliance with one thing or another be it curbing side yard clearance, the raised curbing by many garages with the less then the required clearance, planting hedges in the Utility right aways, hedge heights etc. etc. as far as the White Cross I was informed mine in my rear yard had to go. Now I don't even face a roadway so tell me how someone spotted that! Another thing how can I rear yard that faces a roadway look like a jungle with you name in it but I front yard can't. Same roads!

[roob1]

Who cares who reported or how the violation is reported? Who cares if people find their jollies reporting? Who cares if it is not the reporters business? The issue is the violation.

You are projecting blame or blame-shifting. If there was no violation, there would be no trolls to blame, no bad reporting system to blame. If the report was made-up, nothing happens.

Why not examine your own motivation to violate, or the motivation of others who violate?

Originally Posted by MrsPhil

The biggest problem with the reporting of so-called violations is that more often than not it is by people who "troll"; that is, they don't live in the neighborhood but find their jollies looking for offenses. You seem to think every "offense" is leading toward trailer trash when, in fact, the offense sometimes is a beautiful lawn ornament that enhances a yard. Sometimes it is a necessity for a disabled person who wasn't aware that adding a few bricks to the side of his driveway for safety's sake was a big deal. Sometimes a homeowner is in distress and it would be so much kinder for those trollers to stop and see if assistance in yard work is needed. And sometimes it is a vindictive person who makes things up! (Yes, this happened to a friend of mine.) From the many "violations" I have read about, they are petty things which could easily be taken care of by neighbors talking to each other. If it isn't your neighborhood, it isn't your business; if it is your neighborhood, then how about taking The Villages mantra into account: "Florida's Friendliest Hometown". Make it so.

[Martian]

Originally Posted by skip0358

I agree with a lot of the Posts however, If I get turned in and they come out and inspect and tell me mine is not in compliance but there are other houses on the same block with the same violation and you hear well we didn't get a complaint on theirs only yours that's just not right. In all honesty there are MANY homes in TV that are not in compliance with one thing or another be it curbing side yard clearance, the raised curbing by many garages with the less then the required clearance, planting hedges in the Utility right aways, hedge heights etc. etc. as far as the White Cross I was informed mine in my rear yard had to go. Now I don't even face a roadway so tell me how someone spotted that! Another thing how can I rear yard that faces a roadway look like a jungle with you name in it but I front yard can't. Same roads!

Very good points that address several of the problems with code compliance. Especially concerning selective enforcement.

But, then you know, RULES are RULES!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Phil_Linda

... a couple of nicely placed ones actually could 'increase' the value the values of surrounding homes. A nicely appropriated home appeals to people, called curb value.

Originally Posted by bfarrelljr

Also, what's wrong with a few lawn decorations in the front of the house?

Tasteful is in the eye of the beholder. Do you think it's OK to put a stuffed fox or a large Budda in the front yard? That's exactly why there are deed restrictions.

Originally Posted by FenneyFanatic

If you follow the rules you agreed to when you bought a home here, no one would ever have anything to report. That seems easy to understand.

[larrycox8ball@gmail.com]

Agree. These bad people are REAL problems. Minor landscaping violations are of very little consequence, if any.

[Velvet]

Well, may I say the new areas seem a bit bland. The landscaping hasn’t grown in yet. The older areas are beautifully as they are - whatever has been done in the past seems to be working. Just saying.

[Byte1]

Originally Posted by Martian

I am having hard time figuring out how most of the rules I read in my neighborhood being violated will suddenly lead to my neighborhood becoming trailer park trash.

My home is in violation at this very moment and I have only been here 3 days! OMG! The Internet service provider had to run a bright orange cable from the junction box out front along my neighbors yard, around the back of my house and back up to the front side where it goes into my house. They had to do this because the junction box is on the wrong side of my drive way, and it's a RULE that they can not put it under my drive way without permission. So, my neighbor was fine with them putting this ugly cable on the ground for 2 or 3 days while they get permission to put it under my driveway.

I guess I have now personally made all the houses in the villages loose at a least 10% of their market value by letting the company install this monstrosity.

It appears to me that by making it a complaint driven system the rules are designed/intended to be interpreted by the neighbors as far as how strict or not they want their neighborhood to be. And I agree with the post above, if you don't live in my neighborhood, how is my having a pottery frog (or a long orange wire) in my front yard affecting your quality of life or the resale value of your property?

I guess it is just the same as the grammar NAZIs online. Those people that feel compelled to ignore the meaning of a post and focus on the missing comma... I mean, BUT BUT BUT ITS THE RULE!

[Byte1]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Tasteful is in the eye of the beholder. Do you think it's OK to put a stuffed fox or a large Budda in the front yard? That's exactly why there are deed restrictions.

I don't have a problem with the fox or the Budda. How my neighbor personalizes their yard is their preference, NOT mine. I find it very immature that anyone finds fault with what others do, and think that some need to grow up and quit being the kid that snitches on his sister (or brother) just to make trouble. And that is ALL it is, just someone wishing to make trouble. Most complaints are not even from the neighbors.
By the way, some deed restrictions demand that you get prior approval before modifying ANY landscaping, to include any new gardens and shrub planting. Those that complain are the ones with the problems, and I do not believe it has anything to do with how someone decorates their homes. It's likely just how the Villages did not live up to their expectation of Utopia that they thought they were moving into.
If you mind your own business you will find that you AND your neighbors will live a happier, more enjoyable stay in The Villages.

[JoMar]

Interesting that the posters who are complaining about the need to have all of us step up to what we agreed to are mostly new arrivals, either to TOTV or The Villages (determined by the number of posts). Why is that?

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by MrsPhil

The biggest problem with the reporting of so-called violations is that more often than not it is by people who "troll"; that is, they don't live in the neighborhood but find their jollies looking for offenses. You seem to think every "offense" is leading toward trailer trash when, in fact, the offense sometimes is a beautiful lawn ornament that enhances a yard. Sometimes it is a necessity for a disabled person who wasn't aware that adding a few bricks to the side of his driveway for safety's sake was a big deal. Sometimes a homeowner is in distress and it would be so much kinder for those trollers to stop and see if assistance in yard work is needed. And sometimes it is a vindictive person who makes things up! (Yes, this happened to a friend of mine.) From the many "violations" I have read about, they are petty things which could easily be taken care of by neighbors talking to each other. If it isn't your neighborhood, it isn't your business; if it is your neighborhood, then how about taking The Villages mantra into account: "Florida's Friendliest Hometown". Make it so.

Well said!

[Martian]

Originally Posted by JoMar

Interesting that the posters who are complaining about the need to have all of us step up to what we agreed to are mostly new arrivals, either to TOTV or The Villages (determined by the number of posts). Why is that?

I expect most of the old timers are tired of the topic.

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by Byte1

I don't have a problem with the fox or the Budda. How my neighbor personalizes their yard is their preference, NOT mine. I find it very immature that anyone finds fault with what others do, and think that some need to grow up and quit being the kid that snitches on his sister (or brother) just to make trouble. And that is ALL it is, just someone wishing to make trouble. Most complaints are not even from the neighbors.
By the way, some deed restrictions demand that you get prior approval before modifying ANY landscaping, to include any new gardens and shrub planting. Those that complain are the ones with the problems, and I do not believe it has anything to do with how someone decorates their homes. It's likely just how the Villages did not live up to their expectation of Utopia that they thought they were moving into.
If you mind your own business you will find that you AND your neighbors will live a happier, more enjoyable stay in The Villages.

I agree that many here need to grow up and become an adult.

An adult follows rules. An adult's signature on a contract has meaning. An adult does not blame others when he gets caught doing something they promised not to do. An adult does not become angry when they are told they broke a rule, and look for someone to be angry at. An adult does not insist that he should be allowed to do something simply because he wants to. An adult leads by example and teaches his children and grandchildren that rules are needed and important.

I could go on, but you get the idea.